System Mastery 15 – Indiana Jones RPG

This week, we test the very limits of what defines an RPG, with a game that removes a core element to the concept. There are seven characters in this game. There is no character creation in this book. There is however a lot of high adventure, archaeology, and … light sexual abuse of a student. We review Indiana Jones, the 1984 RPG from well-remembered developer TSR.

With the schizophrenic tone on character creation and death, my guess would be that whoever was in charge of licensing the IP to TSR forbade them from doing it after checking out an early draft. If they just cut the rules for those mechanics without double checking for areas that just make reference to the concepts it would explain the mixed messages.

This is actually a GREAT little game that captures the spirit and essence of the movies/fiction extremely well in the mechanics. The GM pack later added character creation rules to allow you to make your own custom characters as well.

Marcus Brody isn’t actually portrayed as a bumbling idiot until Last Crusade. By the time this game came out, the only characterization they would have had to go by is his portrayal in Raiders, in which he comes across as a competent administrator.